HTS 222B0 Magnesium Block Fire Starter with Flint & Striker

Product Information

This was the first time we’d used a ferro rod, and we weren’t quite sure how it would work. We didn’t receive any instructions with the rod, so we watched a video online. Nothing could be simpler—we learned that by striking the rod with the included steel striker in a downward motion, we were able to send a shower of sparks flying in the direction of the strike. This fire starter offers a ¼” ferrocerium striking rod that works when wet and can be replaced when it wears out. The typical rod in this model will last up to 3,000 fire-starting strikes. For those who prefer domestic production, this fire starter is machined in the USA using 6061 aluminum. 8. Coleman Magnesium Fire Starter

The Light My Fire Swedish FireSteel was originally developed by the Swedish Department of Defense. Version 2.0 boasts a precision stainless steel striker that has been re-engineered to work even when wet, and at any altitude. Whether using flint & steel, a ferro rod, or a mag bar, you will need a bone-dry bundle of tinder to catch your spark and transfer a flame to larger kindling. Fatwood shavings, birch bark, cattails, dry fluff from plants, or dried animal dung often work well as tinder bundles. Many firestarters, such as Exotac’s Firerod and Prepared4X’s Survival Torch, come with dry, often water-resistant tinder that makes this important step much easier. You can also premake tinder bundles to store in your kit by soaking cotton balls in wax, or gathering dryer lint from home in a waterproof container.If a fire starter was advertised as waterproof, we dropped it in a glass of water and then attempted to light it. We determined that many waterproof fire starters aren’t genuinely waterproof but rather water-resistant. In other words, they needed a little time to dry out before lighting. While matches or lighters may be some of the faster ways of starting fires, they aren’t always the most reliable. It’s important to have, and know how to use, a solid firestarter for when the unexpected happens. You accidentally fall into a river and soak all your gear. You break all your matches or your lighter runs out of fluid. We placed a couple of pouches on top of kindling in a chiminea and held a lit match to one of the corners. It took less than 2 seconds for the pouch to catch fire, and once it did, the waxes inside created tall flames that continued to burn for nearly 6 minutes. By then, the logs we’d added were fully engulfed.

Assuming you’ve identified the location where you want to build a fire, you must think about what type of fire will help you accomplish your goal. There are different ways to arrange your fire that will produce maximum light and heat, burn for a long time, and other ways that allow you to control the amount of heat you use to cook with. How you assemble your fire is referred to as a “fire lay.” Here are the common fire lays and what each is best for. The Tipi Accelerants are the most popular fire-starter products, and we tested a number of these. Nuggets and squares consisting of flammable oils, wax, and recycled paper and wood are the easiest to use; however, they require an ignition source, such as a match or a lighter. Once lit, these fire starters typically create tall, hot flames that light the materials above them. What to Consider When Choosing the Best Fire StarterThe sparks created by a ferro rod are extremely hot compared to those of flint & steel, which makes it easier to light a dry tinder bundle. Some of the starters in this guide, such as the Wolf and Grizzly, and the Zippo Fire Starter Kit,use a ferro rod as part of their set. These are nontoxic fire starters, and we couldn’t detect any odor as they burned, making them suitable for starting charcoal fires for grilling food. It took two Rutland squares to get the charcoal in our grill started—the first one burned out before the charcoal caught, so we slipped a second one under the charcoal basket and lit it. The briquettes caught fire within a few minutes after that.